I have never seeaurs in nearly three weeks of being ioalon Mountains.

  It wasn't as surprising as it might sound. I wasn't looking for them, and this enviro wasn't particurly suitable for the half-horses.

  It was mountainous, so it meaively little ft, stable ground for them to move, hunt, and live. Many areas were simply inaccessible due to their cumbersome fged lower halves. They weren't goats.

  And they were always on the move, with only stops to sleep, eat, pilge, fuck, and give birth. The tter wasn't even an invenience. I was told they were like horses—born and able to run and jump an hour ter. They supposedly reached maturity fast, too.

  Their popution here was a fra of what it was down South, where they outnumbered taurens, harpies, and quillboars bined.

  They likely were the most numerous on the ti. The taurs were a pgue from what I was told, and what I could deduce led to a simir clusion.

  All of this made them surprisingly unon sightings here.

  Yet taurens still couldn't avoid them due to the kodos. It couldn't be avoided.

  The beasts of burden were pivotal in their lives, serving as a workford sources of leather, meat, eggs, and milk—yes, milk, they were like ptypuses. Otherwise, I wouldn't touch their various dairy products.

  But they weren't all terrains. Specific routes must be taken, routes the taurs knew and o take.

  It was only a matter of time before I had my first face-to-fater with them.

  I didn't have problems being fully operational after awakening, but stopping my sleep didly fill me with joy. And that was what the taurs did.

  'Of course, the fuckers aim for the eyes!' I internally grumbled, putting a paw before my face. I became a target when I went to help the Grimtotem, who were holding the defensive lines.

  By the Bear Lords, the half-horses aimed well. They weren't as skilled as the average rangers of the Sentinel Army, but they were close, especially with their short bows at these ranges.

  It was terrifying, given the discrepan lifespan and experieween your average sentinel aaur.

  'It gives me a ce to test this though.' I thought with a grin.

  Pain fshed briefly as two bone protuberances pierced the skiween my eyes with minimal bleeding–I knew where the blood vessels were–and formed root-like interected structures in front of them. I used part of my backpack for added prote.

  It wouldn't stop everything, but for this sario, it was ideal. The taurs' rain of shots was deceptively precise and packed a punch, but ultimately, they weren't powerful enough to gh my bones. Still, eyes were the windows to the brain.

  If they had been poisohat might have been a problem, but they weren't, aside from the bacteria on them. However, that wasn't a ground for .

  'That's better.'

  And to prove me right after, an arrow bouny bone and bark prote, and I internally o myself in satisfa.

  But then, to prove me wrong, a fug arrow nded on my tral paw pad, and a growl of frustratio my throat. Then another shitty arrow hit under my right armpit and a third between my left knee.

  It worked, but I remained a giant target–lightly armorer or not–with glowing markings and oints. Yet, I could work with that. And I did, extending a glowing green and red paw to a nearby tauren; a simir glow fshed over him, the remnants flickering to the ones close by.

  The light scratches all over his form vanished, and the deep cut on his shoulder bde stopped bleeding and receded to a flesh wound. It did the same to the others to a lesser extent.

  It was superficial healing and needed more work to satisfy me.

  But from the grateful nods I received and his headlong charge with a bellow, mace raised high, and shield orieo protect his eyes. My subpar healing didn't seem to matter to him. He went straight bato the woodchipper like the dumb brute he was.

  This was a stant in video games or real life, and I could merely gre and hold insults and sharp critics ba. Fear vanished with a healer behind, for the better or the worse.

  Regardless, this bull was far from my st patient as I got into a rhythm between healing, sg taurs away, and killing the stupid ohat got too close by cws or via seeds I threw.

  Or I tried to, not that I was failing. But there was too much happening at o wasn't the smell that overwhelmed me per se, even if it pyed a role. It was the noise and the chaos I saw from my eyes prote.

  It was nearly two hundred fighting with a third of the taurens and the other taurs. I was the only bat healer. It was a scuffle in the grand scheme of things, but it was the first of sue.

  There were a lot of factors to sider: too muformation, a ck of trol, and little progress. The midday heat added salt to the injury since I had exhausted my reserve for elixirs to ward off that annoyanbsp;

  It was frustrating.

  I felt heat in my belly growing, and my vision was quickly literally veering red. I wao let go and rush, to rip taurs apart with my paws, ground their bones with my teeth, and cut open their entrails with my cws.

  An arrow lodging itself in my sensitive hrough the bark pting was the st straw. I snapped, and instincts took over.

  And my fury led me to the closest taur. The bitch that sniped my poor nose, and I bit her head thhly, delighting at her terror–unreasonably short as it may have been–but I didn't go any farther.

  Not because I wao or restrained myself. A burning e ball of fire blinded me. I violently recoiled, spitting the crushed head with a loud, surprised bellow.

  But I wasn't burhe fireball that would have engulfed my face had stopped midway, barely burning my fur. An unpleasa radiated from it as it tauntingly stood there, defying physics.

  My 'savior' didn't wait to make herself known.

  "Hn, a greenhorn iter of warfare. I shouldn't be surprised." Magatha said in a self-satisfied tone as if she won something in her imaginary test, but she got the point and saved me from healing burn wounds, external and internal—a pain to do.

  The old cow added, looking up, "Focus on what be focused, lest you be overwhelmed. Even if you are… iingly warded, and I'm unsure aaurs even seriously wound you."

  "Duly noted," I said drily, plug the arrow from my nose and the umpteenth more from myself. Like all others, it barely got beyond the first yer of fat below my skin. I swardless, "Fug arrows only purpose to be a pain in the ass."

  The Elder umbled a few words in Ignan, the fire nguage, and she flung the fireball to its sender–a panig firecaller, a type of proto-shaman–with multiple times the firepower.

  The result was a screeg tauress with a melting fad clothes. Her hair and fur burned all over for the sed it sted until she stumbled and fell heaving on the ground.

  The old tauren walked away like nothing, and every totem around glowed; arrows aimed at her sharply ged dire while losing all kiiergy, falling harmlessly to the ground as if a geap pushed them aside.

  It wasn't a metaphor, and it wasn't uo her as I wasn't getting pincushioned anymore, as was everyone else.

  'That's what the shamans were doing.' I realized in ho awe. It was impressive. I could feel the wind elementals zipping around, several dozen of them.

  The etlefield was flipped on itself. The taurs within the Grimtotem rank couldn't weave around using their ranged support anymore. They were too far deep, and as for the archers, their fusion was enough to get the taurens to rush at them successfully.

  It was an absolute massacre from then on. The magic casters were powerless and subsequently eviscerated, too. And the only casualties of the Grimtotem tribe end numbered a measly seven.

  Even with me healing around, it was exceptional. And I wasn't the only healer, even if Magatha and her shamans were not in the same realm.

  Druidic healing in superior for us. It was wired fanic life, after all. Life magic amplified that trait even further.

  Water spirits could seal superficial wounds, se them, and invigorate the injured, but that stopped there without alchemy and traditional primitive medie.

  A cut-off limb couldn't be reattached, at least from what I had seen and read, and it lenty enough to affirm it was a no.

  It was a remihis pce didn't work like the games, though how Holy Light and Shadow magic worked for healing that was to see, I won't bet on them being weak.

  Uanding how these two healed would be fasating… if purely out of curiosity.

  After that was the ing and sc of any valuables, which I didn't participate in, aher did Magatha, and it was from the sidelines I announced my time here .

  "I'm flying back to Ashenvale. I will be gone when the moons are on the horizon."

  There ause before she mumbled for me to wait and walked to her teepee, ing back thirty seds ter with a miniature version of the cssical Grimtotem totem design.

  "Here, a present to guide you to me through the song of birds. When we are close, the spirits will whistle." I nodded, and she said, "Good. Then, this is an early farewell, Ohto of the Greenweald. But the Grimtotem never fets enmity… and it differs not fenerosity. You and your kin have our hospitality. I hope you meditate on what has been spoken."

  Those were essentially the st words we exged. Hours ter, I was flying above a precipice with a heavier backpack I inally came within my jaw.

  'That was a worthwhile trip.' That was my clusion; it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, but that was one of the best outes I could get. I had fun, too, in more than one way. Ihese taurens weren't the frie–euphemism of the tury–but it wasn't unworkable.

  They were people, not unging ruthless monsters. They had found brutality their best ce at survival, a theory that proved itself repeatedly to be correbsp;

  It wasn't an excuse; they were assholes of the highest order, and many aspeeeded ges if they wanted a sting alliah furbolgs or anyone. But it was at least worth a shot, and any help reciated for what was to e.

  Be that as it may, my progress stood out for me. It wasn't mind-boggling as more would be needed, but the virtually unlimited supply of guinea pigs accelerated things by a lot.

  Among other new skills, I could reattach a head to its corpse–not even an obligation–now and have the result be somewhat alive! If everything was fresh enough, but that remained awesome. And it wasn't as situational as it sounded. It wasn't just gluing the parts together that was important.

  Thoughts went after one another as hours flew by until the sun rose on the horizon, and that led to me slipping into the Emerald Dream after finding a good pce to sleep.

  But as soon as I stepped in, I froze. My eyes widened upon nding on the figure sitting in front of me. His massive blue-furred forepaws supported his equally enormous head. His gaze was as intense as ever.

  "H-Hi, Ursol!" I fumbled out at his ued appearance, and like the first time, he chuckled warmly. Then, without my request, he grew an all-enpassing sphere around us, cutting the world from us.

  "Hi," The demi-god parroted with a smile, waving a paw, clearly amused at my rea, "Greetings once again, Ohto. I have e to offer my gratitude for your vision. It had proved itself to be dreadfully true. Your warning stopped my brother and the lives of thousands upon thousands from threading a fate of damnation."

  I felt my heart swell, and I brighte his words, both from instincts and because Ursol the Wise said it. I wasn't religious, but my body remained of his dest. All the doubts and paranoia that had grown from his silence proved unnecessary.

  It couldn't be easily described how it felt beyond amazing.

  "Dreadful indeed! My impatieo be of the living once more was deeply foolish!" A booming voice exploded from my right, and Ursol's and my head so the new arrival.

  Our rea was simir, if different, in many respects. I was shocked, while the Bear of Wisdom was a mix of surprised, angry, exasperated, and worried.

  I khis face well. I couldn't ponder on it for long, however. The bonafide Bear of Might, Ursoc, twin brother of Ursol, was in front of me, having slipped in and whose eyes turo me with a strange expression.

  He was signifitly rger in size and muscuture than his brother and had rich brown fur with intricate braids in his 'mane.' Otherwise, he erfect copy of Ursol, sharing simir armor and tattoos. He was far more translut… and weaker, even if the word 'rec' fits better.

  It felt wrong to a part of me to see him like this, but I was in awe regardless. If one wasn't enough, then two was borderlioo mubsp;

  My heart was hammering in my chest, and my gaze could not move away from him as he looked down from his superior height, a smile f on his snout.

  "As my little brother said, the tragedy was averted thanks to you. Without your intervention, I would've been dead or worse, as would many is ignorant of the danger in the hearth of their den. My arroganearly once more would have been my downfall." The Bear of Might let out in shame.

  "For what you have done, accept this present. It's not much, but it's better thay excuses." I was stunned and just leaned in as the Bear A put a y forehead. I accepted I could resist, easily, might I add, but I didn't. I absorbed it.

  The effect was immediate; I began to shift, just as I did when I became a bat, but here, it felt no signifitly different than my furbolg body.

  Yes, I was on all fours from a slightly different morphology a slightly bigger. In exge, I cked thumbs awo of my upper es poke out of my mouth. Otherwise, I didn't feel THAT different.

  I was a bear, but instead of a bipedal one, I was a miniature version of the two in front of me.

  Then it hit me… Did Ursoc himself bless me?! That… I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do, period.

  "Ah…" However, all that left me was, "I speak?"

  It wasn't possible with bear shapeshifting, Ursine or not, even if some words and brokeences could be said. It wasn't impossible either, but it was a rare skill; fewer druids than I had fingers on one paw had it if the elven records at my disposal were correct.

  It was mastering an aspect of shapeshifting–to shift your mouth parts to speak–and it was given to me on a silver ptter. I had been slowly figuring that out, and I was happy with the gifted uanding.

  Well, it was only for my newly gained bear form, but that was a massive hint for others and shapeshifting as a whole.

  "This is my true blessing, young warrior shaman. In any form, you may now wield speech if you delve into it. It is a small present, but I'm... limited. For now." He firmed what I got, and then the Bear of Might turned around, fog on his twin, "As always, little brother, you are bad at hiding your tracks. Oh… I will rest now and want to drink with you two afterward. It's a worthy of such treatment! I ot wait, yet I must! Farewell!"

  And he left… like that, he just phased through the shield.

  A long sed passed until my mind clicked.

  "Shit! Wai-" Ursol interrupted me, "Fret not, Ohto, I will inform my brother of your wish of discretion. But I ot promise his agreement without reason. What is it you fear?"

  I frowned; it was to be expected.

  As to what I fear, there were too many to list here. Or that o be listed… Old Gods, notably, the risk of suspi was too great. A bit of the result, yes, but the eldritch abominations themselves, no. It was too risky beyond that, and I cked knowledge of them.

  Ultimately, the choice was straightforward, if troversial, depending on his retionship with them. It was a risk, but I o take it.

  "Ursol, the Dragons of Bronze…" While studying his rea, I began as he stood there. Unfppable but ied.

  "As you know, I have knowledge, but it's knowledge I do irely believe… it's vague, tradictory, inplete, and fragmented. It's a puzzle, but from its pieces, I uand the ge I bring may lead to a stroion from them. I fear I may be a target in their eyes, an anomaly to be culled from time. Yet it may also be useless; my fear may be unfounded. I don't know and uand enough to be certain. This is why… I wish to remain unknown until I feasibly 't anymore. I uand it won't be hard to single me out as the source; I stand out, but regardless, it's why I want discretion." I expined.

  There pressive sileer I finished my tedious answer. Anticipation at how the bear demi-god might rea all the wrong ways welled in my heart.

  Fually, what I said was the truth and a de facto excuse for many of my 'quirks,' but despite logic, I was afraid. Emotions weren't rational, weren't pragmatid were both a blessing and a curse.

  "What a dire curse to bear for one so young… I see. I uand now, but you have been wise to call upon me, Ohto. To the matter of your fear… I will strive to protect you if the need arises, as will Ursoc. Dragons are mysterious creatures, and possessing a modicum of caution is natural in their presehe Wise Bear expressed in a shogly saddened and passioone.

  I felt like an immense weight was lifted off my shoulders. I felt good beyond incredible even. It was almost a euphorisation. But the hard part came .

  "Thank you, Ursol. I suppose gratitude is not the only reason you came here."

  The Bear Lord's eyes locked onto my own at that.

  "The Burning Legion, monsters of baleful green fire, despoilers of the wilds, abominations of Fel, young one. In our past iions, you have passingly mentiohem." He growled the like it was trash sullying his mouth.

  It was guttural and primal in how he pronou, "Until now, I was too occupied to verse. My apologies for such, but that time had ended. What have you seen?"

  To the point then, and I couldn't be happier to oblige. It seemed that there was o point to the urgency of the matter.

  "Yes-." And so I told what was to e, well, what I was almost certain would.

  There always was this possibility it could differ–j'ai pas sfuse–I'm not all-knowing. A lot of the knowledge I had was from osmosis and not memorized by heart or pinly distorted; it might as well be false—my notebook or not.

  I couldn't speak of everything, and I was too uain to say anything that wasn't a general idea that was a certainty to happen with suffitly predictable results. I didn't like it, but that's how I would proceed.

  The_Bip_Boop2003

  Thanks, EmilBigErk, Mike Stewart, Dyn Mayfield, BzeSavage, Jeff Fischer, Hope Bain, Vex, Jackietron201, 124f5, Joshua Crowell, Crach Grey, Michael Carter, Croc, Kunta, Nezih Süzer, Zekitz, Dyn S, PeerlessCaster, Devon Emmons, Furry Bear, Jarvis Schellinger, Cudius, Lucky 13, Echo54g, Anima506, jacob griffin, Mitch, Velzon, Cameron Youngman, TheFuzzySamurai, Grey Heart, Marc Smith, James Wood, Proxy, Kurgarraz, shadowSeth, Talberts, Gal Anonim, PIEGURU8, léroy jenkins, Tobias, Jose Matos, Alex pritchard, Falk Hüser, SirSp, Sam Mbya, Alexander Amann, Name, Man Robertson, Aaron Taylor, Mika Willems, phil, Brian Beard, JchuckS, Wold Layman, Gee Dean, Nateica Burlock, Wildvoid, andre, Eioe, Scarletmenace, Pilot Pirx, er Ja, Thomas Dey, Asura, Gronnr, Lucas Gossett, ton Jenkins, Desote, Tristan Nadeau, Mest450, Ang, Sabypyz, charlie wagner, SwiftFate, Hedgeboar, JJ JJ, Linus Bengtssone, Mason for the support it's greatly appreciated.

  [colpse]